The National Board of Review (NBR) announced their 2024 honourees, with top awards including Wicked for Best Film; Jon M. Chu for Best Director for Wicked; Daniel Craig for Best Actor for Queer; and Nicole Kidman for Best Actress for Babygirl. This year, the NBR will present the NBR Spotlight Award to Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande for their creative collaboration in Wicked.
“Wicked represents the pure magic that movies can bring to audiences. Every detail is beautifully crafted and designed, the actors are all exceptional and the music is second-to-none – together it adds up to a transporting experience like no other. The NBR is proud to honor director Jon M. Chu and his remarkable cinematic vision,” said NBR President Annie Schulhof.
Established in 1909, the NBR recognises excellence in filmmaking. This year, 246 films were viewed by a select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr CPA.
The National Board of Review’s awards celebrate the art of cinema, with categories that include Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, Best Original and Adapted Screenplay, Breakthrough Performance, Best Directorial Debut, Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography and Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry.
The honorees will be fêted at the NBR Awards Gala, hosted by Willie Geist (Host, NBC News’ Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist and co-host, MSNBC’s Morning Joe) on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at Cipriani 42nd Street, in New York City.
Below is a full list of the 2024 award recipients, announced by the National Board of Review:
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, Nosferatu
Best Film: Wicked
Best Director: Jon M. Chu, Wicked
Best Actor: Daniel Craig, Queer
Best Actress: Nicole Kidman, Babygirl
Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Best Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning, A Complete Unknown
Best Ensemble: Conclave
Breakthrough Performance: Mikey Madison, Anora
Best Directorial Debut: India Donaldson, Good One
Best Original Screenplay: Mike Leigh, Hard Truths
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing
NBR Spotlight Award: Creative Collaboration of Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: No Other Land
Best Animated Feature: Flow
Best International Film: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Best Documentary: Sugarcane
Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Top Films (in alphabetical order):
Anora
Babygirl
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Gladiator II
Juror #2
Queer
A Real Pain
Sing Sing
Top 5 International Films (in alphabetical order):
All We Imagine as Light
The Girl with the Needle
I’m Still Here
Santosh
Universal Language
Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order):
Black Box Diaries
Dahomey
Look Into My Eyes
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Will & Harper
Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):
Bird
A Different Man
Dìdi
Ghostlight
Good One
Hard Truths
His Three Daughters
Love Lies Bleeding
My Old Ass
Thelma
